The use of single-serve beverage makers has recently become increasingly popular. In the United States, almost a third of the population owns a single-serve coffee-making system. One of the reasons behind the fast-growing preference for single-serve makers is convenience. You simply need to insert a K-cup into the machine, hit ‘start’, and then dispose of the used pod. The ability to save users’ time, especially in the morning, has fueled the growing preference for this appliance.
The Environmental Impact of Single-Use K-cups
With the time-saving aspect and high level of convenience, there are some concerns associated with throwaway K-cups. Single-use coffee pods are too small to recycle and most of them end up in the trash. Non-biodegradable single-use K-pods take a long time to degrade. Discarded single-use capsules thrown into the trash produce an increasing volume of garbage that pollutes the environment. To avoid negatively impacting the environment, customers and manufacturers started looking for an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable coffee pods.
How to Make Your Single-Serve Coffee Maker More Sustainable?
Fortunately, more sustainable alternatives are available in the modern market. Reusable K-Cups made of stainless steel or plastic allow you to reuse your single-serve coffee brewer without single-use disposable packaging that ends up in a landfill. Reusable coffee pods can be cleaned and refilled many times. You don’t need to dispose of anything and even the used coffee grounds can be thrown into the compost.
Switching to a reusable coffee pod is a minor change to your morning routine. You have to fill your pod yourself and wash it after use. However, by using reusable K-Cups, you pay much less than for disposable cups without feeling guilty about the waste produced by disposable pods. You can fill them with your choice of coffee and customize the brew strength to your preference. Before purchasing, make sure that reusable pods are compatible with your machine.
Reusable Plastic K-cups
1. Reusable K-Cups for Keurig 1.0 and 2.0 Brewers by KICOCO
This Keurig replacement for single-use K-Cups helps minimize brewing expenses while remaining environmentally conscious by eliminating the disposal of K-Cups into the environment. These K-Cups are made with 100% BPA-free plastic and a durable stainless-steel mesh strainer.
These cups are the perfect size that hold just the right amount of coffee grinds. You only need to fill them approximately halfway and then cover them with the lid.
Invest in a pre-measured scoop to pour the exact portion of coffee grounds required to refill the reusable K-Cups. It’s more precise than ordinary scoops or spoons.
Close the lid, insert the pod into your coffee machine brewer, and hit ‘brew’.
Downsides
- If the coffee grind is too fine, the mesh allows the particles through. A courser grind setting helps minimize the amount of residue. You can also add a biodegradable filter to produce less sediment at the bottom of your cup.
- Sometimes, the machine doesn’t recognize the reusable K-cup, so you need to make some adjustments to get it to work.
- Plastic K cups aren’t very durable and will break down over time, especially the lids.
Stainless Steel Keurig K-Cups
Stainless steel K-cups are much sturdier than plastic ones and require less clean-up after use. They are safe to use with hot drinks as they won’t leach chemicals into your coffee. Stainless steel also doesn’t affect the taste and aroma of your coffee.
The downside is fine dust that gets through and falls into the coffee, especially when the coffee has been grounded too fine. Using a coarser grind or small paper filter keeps you from having too many coffee particles in your cup.
The small holes tend to clog after multiple uses.
1. Reusable Coffee Filters Basket for Mr. Coffee Black & Decker Coffee Makers by YEOSEN
If you want to cut down on your household waste, this basket is a good alternative to disposable paper coffee filters. These coffee filter baskets are made of durable and rust-free stainless steel with tiny holes. They filter almost as well as paper filters, leaving a little bit of coffee sediment at the bottom. The baskets have a handle for easy removal. A spoon with a cleaning brush is included.
To clean by hand, dispose of the used grounds and then thoroughly rinse the basket. You can also occasionally put it in the top rack of the dishwasher.
2. SEAL Pod Reusable Stainless-Steel Nespresso Capsules
These reusable Nespresso pods are made of sturdy stainless steel without plastic parts. The lids are made of recyclable aluminum foil. Their adhesive edge keeps them on the pod during brewing. The lids must be replaced after each use.
Don’t press the grounds too firmly when filling the capsule to allow water to get through. Wipe the rim clean so the lid can adhere. Apply the lid, place the capsule in your machine, and hit ‘brew’!
Pros
- Like any other coffee pods, reusable Nespresso capsules reduce waste and costs.
Cons
- The pods are smaller and hold less coffee than the original Nespresso pods, resulting in weak coffee. The right choice of coffee and grind size may give you a richer cup.
- The refilling and cleaning process is messy and may be inconvenient for some users.
- The adhesion of the lids is inconsistent, and they often don’t stick well to the capsules.
- Like most other reusable coffee pods, these reusable Nespresso capsules are far from perfect. Refilling them is messy and labor-intensive. It can take a few tries to determine how to use them.
Let’s hope more convenient eco-friendly products soon appear on the market!
How to Clean Reusable Coffee Pods
Cleaning is much easier if pods are emptied and washed soon after they cool down. Make sure not to remove the pods immediately after brewing because you can burn your fingers.
Scrape the used grounds into the compost bin. Use a soapy sponge to clean the plastic lid. If the mesh gets clogged, clean it with a small brush. Then rinse the mesh and let the pod dry before re-using it.
You can also put the cup and lid in the dishwasher on the top shelf.
Stainless steel pods should be regularly de-scaled as they tend to become clogged.
